The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 23
“Madam, may I come in?”
It was Mason’s voice.
“Come in.”
Blair handed Pipi’s milk bottle to Melly and walked over to the table. On it lay documents she had prepared earlier.
Blair held out the papers to Mason as he approached.
“I’ve drafted a budget based on the past five years’ budget plans. Please take a look.”
Mason was inwardly surprised. Blair had asked for past budget documents, but he hadn’t expected her to draft an actual budget herself.
He’d assumed she’d skim through the numbers—enough to give her a headache—and quickly set it aside.
Yet, impressed by her perseverance alone, Mason began reviewing the budget Blair had prepared.
Blair couldn’t hide her nervousness, fidgeting with her fingers as she waited for Mason’s evaluation.
It felt just like when she was young, waiting for her teacher to check her homework.
Mason, his usual solemn expression unchanged, furrowed his brow deeply as he scrutinized the budget.
As his review dragged on, an increasingly anxious Blair spoke first.
“It’s just practice, so if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to tell me.”
“No, it’s truly excellent. It’s hard to believe you really drafted this entirely on your own, especially for the first time.”
Taken aback by this unexpected praise, Blair stared at him wide-eyed. Mason’s voice carried unmistakable admiration.
Mason wasn’t the type to overstep his bounds as a servant, nor was he one to fabricate flattery.
Thus, this compliment came from genuine sincerity.
“We could implement this year’s budget based on your draft.”
Hearing the praise, Blair’s heart fluttered.
It was the first time anyone had complimented her since Esmeralda’s death. Throughout her life, all praise had belonged to her younger brother, Ivan.
Katrina never wanted Blair to outshine Ivan. Whenever Blair received something better from their father, Katrina would resent and envy her, as if Ivan’s rightful share had been stolen.
The best food, the most precious things—everything always had to belong to her son Ivan. If Blair possessed something Ivan didn’t, Katrina would take it from her and give it to him.
Because of that sliver of maternal affection, Blair had hidden her talents—always staying just one step behind Ivan. She couldn’t afford to outshine her brother, nor let anyone else surpass him.
She had lived like that for twenty years.
At some point, she’d even stopped believing in her own worth. It felt natural to be inferior to Ivan.
Thus, hearing praise now… brought such joy it made her throat tighten.
Ah, so I…
I can do something well too. I can be recognized.
Only now did that long-forgotten truth truly sink in.
“Of course, there are a few minor points that could be improved…”
Mason pointed out the necessary revisions precisely yet courteously.
Blair listened intently like a model student, carefully absorbing every word he offered.
Just as the budget feedback concluded, Rina entered after a knock.
“Madam, just now—”
Rina, about to launch straight into her report, suddenly noticed Mason and fell silent. Mason discreetly excused himself.
Once Mason left, only Rina, Blair, and Melly—who was caring for Pipi—remained in the room.
Rina glanced sideways at Melly, who was absorbed in tending to Pipi, then whispered so only Blair could hear.
“The guild has contacted us, Madam.”
[This is the timeline separator]“The newly discovered mana crystal mine in the northwest is being extracted smoothly. The estimated reserves are…”
Herdin gazed indifferently out the carriage window at the passing scenery. Ruth’s voice reporting on business matters flowed past his ears like the landscape itself.
Everything was proceeding smoothly—both the business ventures and the effort to restore Blair’s memories.
A few days ago, Agnes had come to deliver an interim report. It had been exactly one month since the counseling sessions began.
Agnes explained she was starting by revisiting happy memories rather than immediately digging into painful ones.
She added that many clients distrusted their counselors, but Blair had opened up to her quickly, making progress smooth.
“In the Lady’s happy memories, Her Late Majesty the Empress appears very frequently. That’s probably why she’s avoided trying to recover her memories—she’s afraid of the possibility that someone she trusted so deeply might have actually tried to kill her.”
“But even if that beloved person might have been falsely accused?”
“Imagine suffering a serious accident, waking up with no memory of what happened, and everyone around you insisting that person tried to kill you…”
“…”
“Naturally, she’d assume that person tried to kill her, and the shock caused her memory loss.”
“…”
“Moreover, with her own mother confirming it, she’d believe it even more. She wouldn’t want to call her living mother a liar, nor would she want to investigate the possibility that the late Empress truly intended to kill her.”
“That’s selfish thinking.”
“Your Grace, the Lady was only eleven years old at the time.”
Agnes defended Blair, saying an eleven-year-old child wouldn’t have the capacity to consider anything beyond herself.
“And in those happy memories, Your Grace appears quite often as well.”
“…Me?”
“Surely that means she trusts, relies on, and loves you deeply. Perhaps it would help if Your Grace occasionally spoke with her directly about that period.”
Herdin dismissed Agnes’s words with a quiet scoff.
Love… What a ridiculous notion.
He probably only appeared often because he was Esmeralda’s nephew and had frequent business with her.
He didn’t know what feelings the current Blair held toward him, but they certainly weren’t of the kind Agnes described.
Judging by Blair’s recent behavior—
Ever since she was spotted visiting the guild that first time, she hadn’t gone out for personal reasons again.
“She’s probably waiting for the guild’s reply.”
She either avoided his eyes to secretly contact the guild or kept spouting absurd claims about foreseeing the future.
Yet, whenever he saw her innocent face, he wondered if her suspicious actions were merely his own misunderstanding. Perhaps the demon truly hadn’t appeared, just as she claimed.
Or maybe he simply wanted to believe that.
That must be why he felt so foul-tempered now.
“What a foolishly careless thought.”
Herdin mocked himself. That was precisely why he’d been deliberately avoiding Blair since the New Year’s Festival, keeping himself as busy as possible.
He had no intention of falling for that naive face again and being deceived. Once was more than enough.
By now, the carriage had left the capital’s central district and was passing behind a theater.
Herdin’s gaze, cast absently out the window, suddenly fixed on a familiar figure stepping down from a carriage.
Small stature, platinum-blonde hair peeking out from beneath an emerald-green robe, and a glimpse of small, pale hands.
Recognizing instantly that the woman alighting from the hired carriage was Blair, Herdin’s brow furrowed.
No guard was visible near her. Of course, by his orders, someone would be discreetly watching over her from a distance.
Blair entered the theater’s back entrance with her usual maid.
“…Your Grace. You haven’t heard a single word I’ve said, have you?”
Ruth, noticing Herdin’s distraction, looked up from his report. Herdin didn’t deny it; instead, he simply nodded toward the theater.
“Do you know what play they’re performing at that theater these days?”
Ruth sighed inwardly at Herdin’s dismissive attitude but, knowing his recent irritability, obediently answered.
“As far as I know, they’ve adapted an ancient heroic tale—set in the age of the Sacred Beasts—into a play.”
“…”
“But well, the play is just for show. On the surface it’s a theater, but in truth, it’s a well-known rendezvous spot for nobles.”
Loveless political marriages were common in noble society, and keeping mistresses—regardless of gender—was equally commonplace.
Yet common didn’t mean acceptable. Nobles, who valued appearances above all, never openly acknowledged their mistresses, even if everyone already knew.
“…A rendezvous?”
“Yes. Didn’t you know?”
A rendezvous. A rendezvous indeed.
Suddenly, a name slipped into Herdin’s mind—the one he’d once heard whispered through his wife’s lips.
“Asiel…”
Herdin’s eyes turned icy as he stared at the theater’s back entrance where Blair had disappeared.
[This is the timeline separator]The theater manager seemed to have been expecting Blair, greeting her immediately at the back entrance. Once inside, he handed Rina a ticket.
“The young lady should follow that usher over there.”
“Me? Me?”
Rina’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected suggestion. Blair, sensing the manager’s intent to separate them, smiled and said,
“Yes, go ahead and enjoy the show, Rina. I have someone to meet.”
“B-But is that alright?”
“Yes. It’s easier for me this way.”
Rina, beaming with excitement, took the ticket and hurried off after the usher.
The manager led Blair to the theater’s top-floor lounge—a private room reserved exclusively for VIPs.
As she entered the room he indicated, Mikhail turned from the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the stage, a glass of wine in hand.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
MANGA DISCUSSION
6 Comments
Chapter Comments (880)
she cheated haha,the husband is waiting for you,ge saw you
1. Blair’s behavior really makes me laugh 😂. Mikhail was just about to show off his delicious wine or have a casual chat, but he was immediately cut off by a question about land. Poor Mikhail, he didn’t even have time to breathe.
من الغباء ان يلومها بالانانية و هي كانت ما زالت طفلة
Inline Comments (5372)
Mikhail lightly kissed the back of Blair’s hand before releasing it.
His character illustration better give him justice. 😫
Though nothing had happened between her and Mikhail at the theater, and though s
Babes! He never asked for a divorce! Maybe it’s a mistranslation since SHE wants to live after the dust settles. He on the other hand seemed like he just wanted to hurt our fl because he saw her as someone who let his aunt’s (late empress) name be dragged through the mud and be viewed as a traitor“Do you have any plans after your divorce?”
Am I the only one rooting for them? I like Mikhail more than the duke already haha. Maybe he could be a part of her plans after the divorce hehe.
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cillaa cillaa
1. “The part where he plays with his fingers because he’s nervous is so adorable! 😭 I felt nervous too, like I was waiting for a test score. But I was so happy that his efforts were finally appreciated and praised. Keep up the good work, Blair! ❤
Sayra Fahur
I really want to see Herdin accepting his love for Blairrrrr!!
Please give us something😭
Randomuse
I think the scandal she wants to happen is gonna start soon, atleast as per ML. isnt it?
Chiara Eraldo
now I’m excited on how the guild and Blair’s plan fall into action
Mariel Soto
Hahaha he will mistaken mikhail as asiel the lover you Dummy ML